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Florida politicians, activists respond to 15-week abortion ban

By Alex Galbraith on Thu, Apr 14, 2022 at 2:42 pm

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the strictest ban on abortion in the history of the state of Florida this morning.

The ban, which makes administering or receiving an abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy a crime, contains no exemptions for instances of rape, incest, or human trafficking. Its only exceptions are in cases where continuing to carry a pregnancy would severely threaten the life of the pregnant person in question.

In passing the law, DeSantis leaned on rhetoric that had nothing to do with the outright violation precedent set in Roe v. Wade nearly 50 years ago. That case established an unfettered right to an abortion before the beginning of the second trimester and a narrow right to regulate abortions before the beginning of the third trimester. Though this standard was largely unscientific, it was light years beyond the drivel being espoused by waves of Republican legislators limiting abortion access now that the Supreme Court appears unwilling to protect this precedent.

Florida's 24-hour abortion waiting period ruled constitutional

The new law establishes an outright ban on abortions performed any time after the very early days of the second trimester and well before any fetus has reached anything approaching viability. This outright attack on the rights of women in Florida drew plenty of criticism from local politicians and activists (as well as praise from some of the slimiest people on Earth).

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Governor Ron DeSantis just signed HB5 into law. This is a 15 week abortion ban w/no exceptions for rape, incest or human trafficking. The starting date is July 1st and we do expect litigation to challenge what is an unconstitutional law. My statement is below. ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/qFxuIsdKMN
— Rep. Anna V. Eskamani 🔨 (@AnnaForFlorida) April 14, 2022

With the stroke of a pen, Governor DeSantis has forced the women of Florida back 50 years by robbing them of the reproductive rights established by our nation’s highest court in Roe vs. Wade.
— Lauren Book (@LeaderBookFL) April 14, 2022

Today is a disappointing, frustrating day in Florida, particularly if you are a woman.

Ron DeSantis signed a despicable 15-week abortion ban with no exception for rape, incest, or human trafficking.

My full statement below. pic.twitter.com/VRpgfoeiOw
— Nikki Fried (@NikkiFried) April 14, 2022

@GovRonDeSantis, you're guilty of violating human rights if you sign this bill. Why do you want to limit the rights of your own daughters of they ever find themselves in this situation? Oh, that's right, you'll be able to pay their way out of it. #abortionrights #veto pic.twitter.com/Na42kkkrSu
— Women's Voices SW Florida (@wv_swfl) April 14, 2022

Every abortion kills a child who deserves protection and a chance to grow in a loving family. As an adopted child in a family that fostered children, I know that adoption is the alternative to abortion. Proud to be in this fight to protect Florida’s families with @GovRonDeSantis. pic.twitter.com/5RU9KpY29e
— Wilton Simpson (@WiltonSimpson) April 14, 2022

Abortion is healthcare and a constitutional right. This is another setback for our democracy, but I will continue to work to make sure that it is brief and temporary.
— Michele Rayner-Goolsby (@micheleforfl) April 14, 2022

BREAKING: @GovRonDeSantis just signed HB 5, the dangerous 15-week abortion ban, into law.

Welcome to the “free state of Florida”, where Republicans attack a person’s freedom to make their own health care decisions. pic.twitter.com/S2QYrRCNvf
— Florida Watch (@floridawatch) April 14, 2022

This bill ignores the reality that: 1) it is not always possible for someone to get an abortion within 15 weeks, and 2) individuals might receive new information after they are already 15 weeks pregnant that changes the course of their family planning.
— ACLU of Florida (@ACLUFL) April 14, 2022

Today, women are less free in Florida.
— Nikki Fried (@NikkiFried) April 14, 2022

DeSantis & his buddies celebrating the latest mandate they passed on my body. I don't want Governor Ron DeSantis in my exam room. I would love for him to do his actual job and stop predatory landlords & insurance companies from hiking our rents and rates. #BansOffOurBodies
— Ida V. Eskamani (@ida_v_e) April 14, 2022

They aren’t just attacking one group, they are doing everything they can to uphold systemic oppression against every marginalized group. https://t.co/YhccybSMaO
— Will Larkins (@ProudTwinkie) April 14, 2022

Governor DeSantis brags that Florida is the "freest state in the country," and says that we're "anti-mandate."

Well, that's certainly not the case for Florida's women (or LGBTQ+ people) and we won't stop fighting until everyone truly is free. https://t.co/JPPAo4j3Pq
— Rep. Anna V. Eskamani 🔨 (@AnnaForFlorida) April 14, 2022

Why can’t we be free to choose too, Governor Desantis? #BansOffOurBodiesFL pic.twitter.com/MF8xrxAT1f
— Florida Planned Parenthood Action (@FAPPA) January 22, 2022

By signing this cruel piece of legislation, Gov. Ron DeSantis has taken away Floridians’ freedom to control their own bodies. The so-called ‘Free State of Florida’ will never be truly free so long as politicians like DeSantis are able to impose their beliefs on the rest of us.
— Laura Goodhue (@goodhuelaura) April 14, 2022

Let's keep track. This week:
✖️a total abortion ban in OK
✖️ a ban that will end abortion access in KY
✖️ a 15-week ban that severely limits care in FL

This is a connected, coordinated attack on our rights. #BansOffOurBodies #HB5 https://t.co/LrPuqYJnA3
— Planned Parenthood Action (@PPact) April 14, 2022

Your props are wrong, @GovRonDeSantis. The majority of Floridians oppose HB5 and support the freedom to make decisions about their own bodies without interference from politicians and their agendas. pic.twitter.com/KNdYkXfUEo
— Florida Planned Parenthood Action (@FAPPA) April 14, 2022

Today, Gov. DeSantis signed the strictest abortion ban in FL’s history: a ban on abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy, with no exceptions for rape, incest or human trafficking. The new law is scheduled to go into effect on July 1, 2022. pic.twitter.com/1WkTcGkgZs
— Planned Parenthood of Southwest & Central Florida (@PPSWCF) April 14, 2022